Sheet-separating machine.



W. A. LORENZ. SHEET-SEPARATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5.1914.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

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Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

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Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

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W. A. LORENZ.

SHEET SEPARATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.5.1914.

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APPLICATION FILED DEC.5. 1914.

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UNITED snares PATENT oFFioE.

WILLIAM A. LORENZ, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

SHEET-SEPABATING MACHINE.

This invention relates to those machines which are designed to automatically separate from a pile and feed forward, one at a time in succession, for further manipulation,

sheets of paper, paper bags, envelops and similararticles. 1

The object of the invention is to, in a simple way, increase the speed of opera tion, the certainty of manipulation and the accuracy of feed of the sheets or other articles, in machines of this class. This endis attained in the machine illustrated by arranging the mechanisms in such manner that the lowest sheet of a pile on a table has its rear'edge released from the rear sup- After the lowest sheet has its rear edge separated from the sheet above it is pulled by the rear separated edge rearwardly'until its front edge is withdrawn from the front support. The front edge of this sheet is then separated and drawn down from the sheet above, and is delivered to a feed cylinder which pulls it forward and passes the sheet along. The means for separating the rear edge and pulling the sheet backward letsgo when the means'for separating and pulling down the front edge takes hold, and the latter presents the'sheet to 'a gage which alines the front edge and retains it so the sheet will be drawn squarely upon the cylinder, thus obviating subsequent straightening. The mechanisms are so timed that when the machine is in operation while the lowest sheet is bein pulled forward at the front by the cylin er the sheet next above is being separated and pulled back at the rear, thus permitting high speed withcertainty of action and accuracy of feed.

-In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows a plan of a machine which embodies the invention. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 shows a rear elevation. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of. the upper part of the rear end of the "machine showing the relative positions of the rear sheet-support and separator, the rear suc-' tion box and its air valve, when the suction *Specification of Letters Patent.

from the edge 0 Patented Align, 1916.

Application filed December 5, 1914. Serial No. 875,557.

the back edge of the lowest sheet from the sheet above. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of the machine showing the relative positions of the parts when the box has started todraw' down and separate rear support is fully withdrawn from beneath the sheets and the back edge of the lowest sheet is drawn down by the rear suction box, and also showing the relative positions ofthe front sheet-support, the front suction box and its valve, and the feed cylinder, at the same time. Fig. 6' is a similar section showing the same parts at the next period of advance. Fig.7 is a. like view showing the lowest sheet pulled way back by the rear suction box and its front dropped downfrom the front support on to the front suction box. Fig. 8 shows the next period of operation with the front edge. of the sheet drawn way down by the front suction box and held in position to be gripped bythe feed cylinder. Fig. 9 is a view showing the mechanism which causes the front edge of the sheet to be alined upon and squarely gripped by the feed cylinder.

The sheets, blanks or other articles 1 to I be separated and fed, one by one 'in succession, are placed in a pile on a table 2 that is supported by the side frames 3. On each side of the table are gages 4 which are adjustable in and out so as to accommodate sheets of different widths. Near the front of the machine is a transverse gage 5 and below this is a ledge 6 that is designed to support the front edges of the sheets. The

which run in cam grooves 1.4 in the disks 15. These disks are fixed upon a shaft 16 that extends transversely at the rear of the machine and is supported by bearings in the frames 10. The rotation of this shaft through the cams and levers oscillates the rear age and ledge at the proper time to Witllt raw the support from beneath the back edge of the lowest sheet andva'fter that sheet has been ulled down to separate 1 f the sheet above.

- of the transverse shaft 16.

different lengths.

of the rear suction box arbor at one side is a rocker 18 that by a link 19 is connected with a lever 20 which is pivoted to one of the frames 10, and bears aroll 21 that runs in a cam groove 22 in the disk 23 on the end By means of this cam and lever the rear suction box is oscillated at the proper time to cause it to draw down the edge and pull back the lowest sheet.

The frames 10 which support the shaft 16 and carry the rear gage and ledge also the rear suction box and connected operating mechanisms are mounted so that they can be moved back and forth on the upper edges of the bed-frames 24. Attached to the movable frames 10 are racks 25, engaging with which are pinions 26 on a shaft 27 that is designed to be turned by a wrench or key. By this means the positions of the frames can be altered so',as to, adjust the rear gage, ledge and suction box forward or backward in order that these parts may be made to operate properly on sheets of A shaft 28 extends longitudinally along one side of theframe and is supported at one end by a fixed bearing 29 and at the other end by bearings 30 mounted on the movable frame 10. This shaft has a" bevel pinion 31 that meshes with a bevel pinion 32 on theend of the shaft 16. On theshaft 28 is a disk with a cam groove 33 in which is a roll 34 on one end of a lever 35. .The other end of this lever engages the stem 36 of the valve 37 located in the casing 38 which on one side of the valve is adapted to be connected with an exhaust pump. On the other side of the valve the casing 38 is connected with a union 39 into which a nipple 40 projects. This nipple 40 is connected with a fitting 41 that communicates with the interior of the rearsuction box 17. The nipple 40 slides in the union 39 when theframes 10 are'moved for adjusting the rear suction box, ledge and gage, The cam 33 is timed so that it will open the valve 37 when it is desired that the suction box shall draw down the rear edge of the lowest sheet and pull that sheet backward, and to close the valve when it is desired that the rear suction box shall release the sheet and allow it to be pulled forward.

On the shaft 28 is a drum with a cam groove 42 in which is a roll 43 that is f'mounted on one end of a rocker arm 44.

The other end of this rocker arm is, by a link 45, connected with a rocker 46 that projects from a part of the front suction box 'oted to the cylinder.

47. This suction box is supported by bearings on the top of the side frames and its upper surface is perforated. The cam 42 is timed to oscillate the suction box at the necessary intervals to draw down the front edge of the lowest sheet. The interior of the front suction box communicates with a chamber 48 containing a valve 49. This valve casing on the other side of the valve is connected by a pipe 50 with the casing 38 that is adapted to be connected with the exhaust pump. The stem 51 of the valve 49 is connected with alever 52 that is pivoted to one of the side frames and has a roll 53 that runs in a cam groove formed in the disk 54 on the cylinder shaft 56. This cam is timed to open the valve at the time it is desired to have the suction box draw down the front end of'the lowest sheet of paper and to close the valve when it is necessary for the box to release the end of the paper which it has brought down. The cylinder 55 is fastened on the shaft 56 that extends horizontally across the front end of the machine and is supported by bearings attached to the side frames. On the end of the cylinder shaft is a bevel gear 57 that meshes with the bevel gear 58 on the shaft 28. Any desired means may be employed 3 for driving the shaft 56, which through the end of the shaft 63 is a tooth segment 65 which is on the upper end of a lever 66 that is pivoted to the frame and carries a roll 67 which runs'in the cam path 68 formed in the end of the cylinder 55. This cam through the segment, pinions and racks withdraws the fingers for letting the front edge of the lowest sheet down, and pushes the fingers back after the edge of the sheet has. been pulled downj" by the front suction box, so as to assist in supporting the front edges of the sheets above.

y In a depression in the surface of the cylinder is a shaft 69 and fastened to this shaft are the fingers 70, which at the proper time clampthe front edge of the sheet of paper to the cylinder so that the rotation of the cylinder will pull the sheet out from beneath the pile and pass it forward for further manipulation. On one end of the shaft 69 is a pinion 71 engaging with which is a tooth segment 72 on a lever 73 which is piv- This lever has a roll 74 which lies in the cam path 75 formed in and will be drawn squarely upon the cylina disk 7 6 that is fixed to the side frame. As the cylinder rotates the fixed cam causes the oscillation of the segment and pinions so as to eflect the proper Opening and closing of the gripping fingers. On the shaft 69 are cams 77 against which an alining abutment 78 is pressed by springs 79. When the front suction box has pulled down the front end of the lowest sheet the front edge projects into the depression in the cylinder substan tially radial thereto and adjacent to the path of the alining abutment as it comes around with the cylinder, and as the gripping fingers are about to close for the purpose of ipping the edge of the sheet the cams 7 7 orce the alinin abutment back against the front edge of t e sheet of paper and press that edge back. This causes the sheet to slightly buckle and insures that the front edge of the sheet, for its entire distance across the front end, will be in contact with the abutment and thus be squared or in proper alinement so that when the grippers finally close down and grip the front edge the sheet will be held in perfect alinement der, and thus will be fed so that whatever the subsequent operations they will be uniformly performed.

In this machine the rear ledge and gage are drawn back and the rear suction box valve opened so that the back end of the lowest sheet will be sucked down on to the periphery of the rear suction box. These actions take place in such time that the rear end of the sheet is caused to buckle slightly (as shown in Fig. 4) this being of advantage in that it tends to insure the separation of the lowest sheet from the sheet above. The continued movement of the parts then draws the rear gage and ledgeway back (as shown in Fig. 5), allowing the rear edge ofthe lowest sheet to be entirely drawn down onto period been drawn forward. (as shown Fig. 7). The rear suction valvethen closes and the rear suction box turns forward. vAt this time-the supporting fingers at the front move back under the front edges of the sheets above and 'the front suction box is turned down and presents the edge of the lowest sheetradially tothe cylinder so that as the cylinder comes around the front edge of the sheet is engaged by the alining abutment and straightened. -The fingers then turn over and grip the front edge of the With the rearsuction box valve sheet squarely and firmly. Of course, the valve of the front suction box is open when the front box isturned down and it is closed when the rear valve is open and the rear suction box is drawing the sheet backward. With this mechanism in operation while the cylinder is drawing the lowest sheet forward the rear suction box is drawing down and pulling back the sheet above; This double action saves time and'also enables the lowest sheet to be drawn forward by the cylinder without dragging forward the sheet above the one which is being pulled out. The buckling of the lowest sheet at the rear, as described above, insures the separation of the'rear edge of the lowest sheet from that above so that the rear supporting ledge will pass between the two and hold the pile up while the sheet is being pulled back, and the buckling of the sheet at the front by the alining abutment insures that the sheet be gripped in such manner that it will be pulled squarely on the cylinder, thus saving further manipulation.

The invention claimed is;

' 1. In a machine for separating and feed- .wardly, means for bending-the front edge of the sheet out of the normal plane of the sheet, and means for engaging the bent front edge of said sheet and pulling the sheet thereby forwardly.

3. In a machine for separating and feeding sheets from a pile'the combination of means for deflecting one edge of the first sheet from the second sheet of the pile and drawing that sheet by "said deflected edge in one direction, means for deflecting the oppos teedge of the second sheet from the next sheet. the pile and means for pulling that sheetby said deflected edge in the opposite direction.

4. In a machine for separating and feed- I ing sheets from a pile the combination of meansfor deflecting the front edge of the first sheet from the second sheetof the pile and drawing that sheet by said. deflected edge forwardly, means for deflecting the rear edge of the second-sheet from the next sheet of the pile and means for pulling that sheet by said deflected edge rearwardly.

5. In a machine for separating: and feeding sheets from a pile the combinationof means for first deflecting the rear edge of the lowest sheet of the pile from the sheet above and then drawing that sheet by said deflected edge backwardly, and means for deflecting the front edge of the lowest sheet of the pile from the sheet above and pulling that sheet by said deflected edge forwardly.

6. In a machine for separating and feeding sheets from a pile the combination of means for drawing down and deflecting the rear edge of the lowest sheet from those above, means for pulling backward the sheet thus deflected, means for drawing down and deflecting the front edge of the lowest sheet from those above, and means for pulling forward the sheet thus deflected.

7. In a machine for separating and feeding sheets from apile the combination of means for bending the rear edge of the first sheet and thus separating thatedge from the next sheet of the pile, and means for bending the front edge of the same sheet and thus separating that edge from the next sheet of the pile, and means for engaging the bent front edge of the sheet and pulling it forward.

8. In a machine for separating and feeding sheets from a pile the combination of means for successively one at a time bending the rear edges of the sheets and by the bent edges drawing them backward, means for, successively one at a time engaging and bending the front edges of the sheets after they have been drawn back, and means successively engaging the bent front edges of the sheets and by said edges pulling them forward.

9. In a machine for separating and feeding sheets from a pile the combination of means for bending down the rear edgeof the lowest sheet from-the pile and for drawing that sheet by the deflected rear edge backward, and means for subsequently drawing down the front edge of said sheet and for pulling that sheet by the deflected front edge forward.

10. In a machine for separating and feeding sheets from a pile the combination of means for drawing down the rear edge of the lowest sheet from the sheet above, means for separating the deflected edge of this sheet from the edge of the sheet above, means for drawing that sheet by the deflecte'd rear edge backward, and means for subsequently pulling the lowest sheet by the front edge forward.

11. In a machine for separating and feeding sheets from a pile the'combination of means for deflecting the rear edge of the lowest sheet of the pile from the sheet above, means for separating the deflected edge from the edge of the sheet above, means for drawing that sheet backward, means for defleeting the front edge of the sheet thus drawn backward, means for separating thedeflected front edge from the sheet above,

and means for engaging the deflected front edge and pulling the sheet forward.

' 12. In a machine for separating and feeding sheets from a pile the combination of means for separating the rear edge of the lowest sheet from the sheet above and drawing that sheet backward, means for drawing down the front edge of said sheet, means for engaging and squaring said drawn-down front edge, and means for gripping the squared edge and pulling the sheet forward.

13. In a machine for separating and feeding sheets from a pile the combination of means for deflecting the rear edge of the lowest sheet from the sheet above and drawing that sheet backward, means for deflecting the front edge of said sheet, means for engaging and pushing backward the deflected front edge of the sheet, and means for gripping the pushed back front edge of the sheet and pulling the sheet forward.

gaging the ,drawn-down front edge and pulling the sheet forward from beneath the pile.

15. In a sheet separating and feeding machine the combination of means for withdrawing the rear support from the pile, means for drawing down the rear edge of the lowest sheet and pulling said sheet backward, means for returning the support between the drawn-down edge of the lowest sheet and the sheets above, means for drawing the front support from beneath the sheets, means for drawing down the unsupported front edge of the lowest sheet, means for returning the front support between the front edge of the lowest sheet and the sheets above, and means 'for'gripping the front edge of the lowest sheet andpulling that sheet forward from beneath the pile.

16. In a sheet separating and feeding machine the combination'of means for supporting a pile of sheets at the front and at the rear, said rear support being adjustable to ward the front and back to provide for sheets of different lengths, and said rear support being movable back and forth from beneath the pile of sheets, means for drawing down the rear edge of the lowest sheet when the rear support is back, means for drawing back the rear sheet, and means for pulling the rear sheet forward from beneath the pile.

17. In a machine for separating and feeding sheets the combination of a suction box at the rear end of the machine for drawing down the rear edge and pulling back the lowest sheet, a suction box for drawing down the front edge of the lowest sheet, and means for engaging the front edge of the lowest sheet and pulling it forward from beneath the pile.

18. In a sheet separating and feeding machine the combination of a suction box for deflecting the edge of the lowest sheet in a pile, means for engaging the deflected edge and pushing it backward for the purpose of squaring it, means for gripping the squared edge of the sheet and pulling it forward and meansfor moving said squaring and gripping means continuously in the same direction. 19. In a sheet separating and feeding machine the combination of a support for the rear edges of the sheets, mechanism for withdrawing said support from beneath the sheets, a suction box for drawing down the unsupported rear edge of the lowest sheet before the support is entirely withdrawn, means for completely withdrawing the rear support and returning it between the pile and the drawn-down edge of the lowest sheet, means for causing the rear suction box to draw the sheet backward, and means for gripping the front edge of said sheet and drawing it forward.

20. In a machine for separating and feeding sheets the combination of a feed cylinder, gripping fingers carried by said cylinder, a suction box at the rear for drawing down the rear edge and pulling back the lowest sheet of a pile, and a suction box at the front for drawing down the front edge of said sheet and presenting it substantially radial to the cylinder in the path of the gripping fingers.

21. In a sheet separating and feeding machine the combination of a continuously rotating feed cylinder, a suction box for deflecting the edge of the lowest sheet in a pile and presenting it substantially radial to the cylinder, means carried by but movable independently of the feed cylinder and adapted to engage the deflected edge and push it backward for the purpose of squaring it, and fingers carried by'the cylinder for gripping the squared edge of the sheet, said squaring means being moved backward by the closing movement of the gripping fingers.

22. In a sheet separating and feeding ma-' chine, the combination of meansfor drawing down and pulling forward the front edge of the lowest sheet of a pile and means for drawing down and pulling backward the next to the lowest sheet of the pile while the lowest sheet is being pulled forward.

WILLIAM A. LORENZ. Witnesses: f

NELLIE PHOENIX, SIDNEY S. GROTTA. 

